Mick Davishttp://www.thejc.com/news/topics/mick-davis
The taxonomy view with a depth of 0.enChoose which side you are on, say UK Jewish leadershttp://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/121089/choose-which-side-you-are-say-uk-jewish-leaders
<p>Jewish community leaders have called on the world to “pick which side they are on – Israel or Hamas” as the violence in Gaza continues.</p>
<p>In a message sent to rabbis ahead of Shabbat, Jewish Leadership Council chairman Mick Davis and Board of Deputies president Vivian Wineman said the international community must make tough decisions. </p>
<p>"The leadership of the Jewish community stand with Israel,” they said. </p>
<p>“We share the widespread concern for the people of Gaza but there is a failure to recognise that Israel’s campaign is not against the people of Gaza, but in defence of its own citizens. </p>
<p>“The international community should be defending Israel’s sovereignty and its absolute right to defend its citizens from indiscriminate attacks from the terrorist group Hamas. </p>
<p>“It is time for the world to pick which side they are on - Israel or Hamas?”</p>
<p>Grassroots group Yachad said hundreds of its supporters had signed a letter to the head of Britain’s delegation to the United Nations calling for support for a ceasefire.</p>
<p>Yachad director Hannah Weisfeld said: “In the absence of long-term peace, this war will happen again and again. </p>
<p>“A ceasefire is urgent and necessary, and so is brokering long-term peace. We must not lose sight of that."</p>
<p>Her comments came before today’s truce broke down hours after Israel and Hamas agreed to a US and UN-brokered deal.</p>UK newsBoard of DeputiesMick DavisIsraelHamasGaza121089story

121088Hadar Goldin not kidnapped but died in battle, says IDF116442Cameron tells Knesset that Britain’s commitment to Israel’s security is rock solid
Jewish community leaders have called on the world to “pick which side they are on – Israel or Hamas” as the violence in Gaza continues.
In a message sent to rabbis ahead of Shabbat, Jewish Leadership Council chairman Mick Davis and Board of Deputies president Vivian Wineman said the international community must make tough decisions.
"The leadership of the Jewish community stand with Israel,” they said.
“We share the widespread concern for the people of Gaza but there is a failure to recognise that Israel’s campaign is not against the people of Gaza, but in defence of its own citizens.
“The international community should be defending Israel’s sovereignty and its absolute right to defend its citizens from indiscriminate attacks from the terrorist group Hamas.
“It is time for the world to pick which side they are on - Israel or Hamas?”
Grassroots group Yachad said hundreds of its supporters had signed a letter to the head of Britain’s delegation to the United Nations calling for support for a ceasefire.
Yachad director Hannah Weisfeld said: “In the absence of long-term peace, this war will happen again and again.
“A ceasefire is urgent and necessary, and so is brokering long-term peace. We must not lose sight of that."
Her comments came before today’s truce broke down hours after Israel and Hamas agreed to a US and UN-brokered deal.
Fri, 01 Aug 2014 14:03:14 +0100Marcus Dysch121089 at http://www.thejc.comLeaders back Mick Davis after ‘unprovoked' JNF chief attackhttp://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/116713/leaders-back-mick-davis-after-unprovoked-jnf-chief-attack
<p>A group of communal figures has condemned the attack on Jewish Leadership Council chairman Mick Davis made by JNF UK head Samuel Hayek.</p>
<p>In a <i>JC</i> article last week, Mr Hayek lambasted “this wretched armchair Zionist leadership”, saying that Mr Davis should support the Israeli government rather than publicly criticise it over the peace process.</p>
<p>But a letter signed by 15 people, including 10 members of the JLC’s council, denounced Mr Hayek’s “unprovoked personal attack”.</p>
<p>Mr Davis, they wrote, had “dedicated time and resource to fight those who delegitimise the state of Israel and has long been an instrumental supporter of organisations which counter the BDS [boycott] movement.</p>
<p>“He leads from the front and we know, from personal experience, how the community benefits from his leadership.”</p>
<p>In his article, Mr Hayek suggested that silence among grass-roots British Jews reflected contempt for the “opinions of self-appointed, outspoken leaders”.</p>
<p>But the supporters of Mr Davis said he had “never purported to speak in anything other than his personal capacity”.</p>
<p>The JLC council member signatories were: UJIA chairman Bill Benjamin; Community Security Trust chairman Gerald Ronson; Jewish Care chairman Steven Lewis; World Jewish Relief chairman James Libson; JLC trustee Leo Noe; Wizo UK chair Jill Shaw; Bicom chairman Edward Misrahi; Leeds Jewish Representative Council chairman Simon Jackson; Maccabi GB chairman Michael Ziff; and Jonathan Goldstein, chairman of Partnerships for Jewish Schools.</p>
<p>The letter was also signed by New Israel Fund chairman Nicholas Saphir; former UJIA chief executive Douglas Krikler; Conservative MP Richard Harrington; Lee Petar, founding partner of communications company Tetra Strategy; and Kate Bearman, a member of the JLC’s political oversight group.</p>UK newsDiasporaJNFMick Davis116713story

116441JNF head attacks Mick Davis over Israel113557Mick Davis: Bibi hinders peace efforts and diaspora's attempts to defend Israel
A group of communal figures has condemned the attack on Jewish Leadership Council chairman Mick Davis made by JNF UK head Samuel Hayek.
In a JC article last week, Mr Hayek lambasted “this wretched armchair Zionist leadership”, saying that Mr Davis should support the Israeli government rather than publicly criticise it over the peace process.
But a letter signed by 15 people, including 10 members of the JLC’s council, denounced Mr Hayek’s “unprovoked personal attack”.
Mr Davis, they wrote, had “dedicated time and resource to fight those who delegitimise the state of Israel and has long been an instrumental supporter of organisations which counter the BDS [boycott] movement.
“He leads from the front and we know, from personal experience, how the community benefits from his leadership.”
In his article, Mr Hayek suggested that silence among grass-roots British Jews reflected contempt for the “opinions of self-appointed, outspoken leaders”.
But the supporters of Mr Davis said he had “never purported to speak in anything other than his personal capacity”.
The JLC council member signatories were: UJIA chairman Bill Benjamin; Community Security Trust chairman Gerald Ronson; Jewish Care chairman Steven Lewis; World Jewish Relief chairman James Libson; JLC trustee Leo Noe; Wizo UK chair Jill Shaw; Bicom chairman Edward Misrahi; Leeds Jewish Representative Council chairman Simon Jackson; Maccabi GB chairman Michael Ziff; and Jonathan Goldstein, chairman of Partnerships for Jewish Schools.
The letter was also signed by New Israel Fund chairman Nicholas Saphir; former UJIA chief executive Douglas Krikler; Conservative MP Richard Harrington; Lee Petar, founding partner of communications company Tetra Strategy; and Kate Bearman, a member of the JLC’s political oversight group.
Thu, 20 Mar 2014 17:20:19 +0000Simon Rocker116713 at http://www.thejc.comJNF head attacks Mick Davis over Israelhttp://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/116441/jnf-head-attacks-mick-davis-over-israel
<p>The chairman of JNF UK, Samuel Hayek, has launched a withering attack on Jewish Leadership Council chief Mick Davis for criticising the Israeli government and for his “wretched armchair Zionist leadership”.</p>
<p>Contrasting the JLC head’s “comfortable” residence in the diaspora with the terror faced by Israelis, he argues that Mr Davis should put his energy into supporting the Jewish state rather than challenging its elected leaders.</p>
<p>Mr Hayek says in an essay in today’s JC that while Mr Davis is entitled to his opinions on Israel, he should not express them as JLC leader. “His position calling for Israeli concessions is once again centred entirely around the notion that as a leader of diaspora Jewry he has a right — even a duty — to weigh in on the decisions of Israel’s democratically elected government. This sense of entitlement is… offensive.”</p>
<p>In recent months, Mr Davis has voiced concern about the stance of Israel’s leaders over the peace process in the left-wing Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz. </p>
<p>“To date, few have publicly taken issue with this wretched armchair Zionist leadership approach,” Mr Hayek says. </p>
<p>“But I believe that this silence, particularly on the part of the grassroots of our community, comes more from a place of contempt or disinterest in the opinions of self-appointed, outspoken leaders rather than out of a sense of agreement with them.”</p>
<p>Three years ago, the JNF quit the JLC amid mutual recriminations, with Mr Hayek protesting at the council’s Israel policy and the JLC accusing the JNF of failing to contribute to its anti-boycott campaign. </p>
<p>Mr Davis had not commented at the time of going to press.</p>UK newsJNFJewish Leadership CouncilMick Davis116441story

The chairman of JNF UK, Samuel Hayek, has launched a withering attack on Jewish Leadership Council chief Mick Davis for criticising the Israeli government and for his “wretched armchair Zionist leadership”.
Contrasting the JLC head’s “comfortable” residence in the diaspora with the terror faced by Israelis, he argues that Mr Davis should put his energy into supporting the Jewish state rather than challenging its elected leaders.
Mr Hayek says in an essay in today’s JC that while Mr Davis is entitled to his opinions on Israel, he should not express them as JLC leader. “His position calling for Israeli concessions is once again centred entirely around the notion that as a leader of diaspora Jewry he has a right — even a duty — to weigh in on the decisions of Israel’s democratically elected government. This sense of entitlement is… offensive.”
In recent months, Mr Davis has voiced concern about the stance of Israel’s leaders over the peace process in the left-wing Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz.
“To date, few have publicly taken issue with this wretched armchair Zionist leadership approach,” Mr Hayek says.
“But I believe that this silence, particularly on the part of the grassroots of our community, comes more from a place of contempt or disinterest in the opinions of self-appointed, outspoken leaders rather than out of a sense of agreement with them.”
Three years ago, the JNF quit the JLC amid mutual recriminations, with Mr Hayek protesting at the council’s Israel policy and the JLC accusing the JNF of failing to contribute to its anti-boycott campaign.
Mr Davis had not commented at the time of going to press.
Thu, 13 Mar 2014 16:30:06 +0000Simon Rocker116441 at http://www.thejc.com‘Mick the Miner’ is back with a multi-million pound banghttp://www.thejc.com/business/alex-brummer-business/112472/mick-miner%E2%80%99-back-a-multi-million-pound-bang
<p>Mick Davis, the former chief executive of Xstrata, has lost no time getting back into the corporate swim following the takeover of the mining group by its biggest investor Glencore in May.</p>
<p>Davis and chief financial officer Trevor Reid have assembled $1 billion of finance to make mining acquisitions from the Hong Kong-based trading house Noble Group (a Glencore competitor) and the private equity house Texas Pacific Group (TPG).</p>
<p>The intention is to create a mid-sized diversified mining and metals group to be known as X2 Resources that will use Noble as its marketing arm in much the same way as Swiss-based Glencore was deployed in the past. </p>
<p> Davis’s return to the fray, at a time when valuations of mining assets have fallen sharply, has attracted widespread attention. His main expertise at Xstrata was in coal but demand has been slipping because of the emergence of shale gas. </p>
<p> City analysts suggest his new enterprise may focus on iron ore and zinc assets.</p>
<p>In his previous role at Xstrata Davis ran his empire from a tight headquarters giving autonomy to the company’s far flung offshoots. This is also a model associated with the legendary investor Warren Buffett. </p>
<p>It was largely deployed by Davis before the $44.6 billion merger with Swiss-based commodity and natural resources group Glencore. </p>
<p> The potential risk of too much regional autonomy recently has been recognised by Britain’s biggest bank HSBC when it emerged that its Mexican operations had been abused by drug cartels for money laundering and its Middle East branches suborned by radical groups including al Qaeda.</p>
<p>Under the current HSBC chief executive Stuart Gulliver the bank is centralising the command and control of the business at its two main headquarters in Hong Kong for Asia and London for the rest of the world. Every aspect of the business from risk-control, to compliance and communications is being organised under a single umbrella.</p>
<p>Similar centralisation has taken place at GlencoreXstrata following the merger that saw Ivan Glasenberg (who attended the South African Theodor Herzl School with Davis) taking on the role of chief executive of the combined enterprise. </p>
<p>Glasenberg’s goal has been to show that the deal, which preceded the departure of Davis, was worth doing amid a sharp fall in the share price of the combined group. </p>
<p>At briefings for analysts and journalists Glasenberg lately outlined the actions he had been taking to streamline the business with the goal of saving at least $2 billion a year by the end of 2014 largely by abandoning the regional offices and structures that were part of the Xstrata model and centralising certain functions. But the key employees on the ground would be kept in place.</p>
<p>The combined group has been divided into three main divisions: mining and metals, energy and agriculture. Glasenberg has adopted the Glencore business model which he describes as “responsibility in lieu of bureaucracy and titles”. </p>
<p>In its briefing documents Glenstrata, as it is now known in the City, emphasises the importance of “centralisation of functions” to improve effectiveness. That can be a brutal business. As of September 2013 Glencore reported it had already rationalised corporate and divisional headquarters resulting in a reduction of 45 per cent of its head office staff and 2000 employees. </p>
<p>More than 30 offices have been closed. </p>
<p> The hoped for synergies of $2 billion arise from three areas of change. Marketing of coal, copper and zinc, is being rationalised through savings on transport and contract pricing targeting savings of $450 million. </p>
<p>Cheaper financing will produce a further $ 175 million of economies and cost reductions will add up to $1.38 million. </p>
<p> With his swift return to the corporate scene, Davis seems to be replicating the Xstrata model. Last time around the track Davis smartly hit the super-cycle in commodities when prices went up tenfold on the back of China’s manufacturing and industrial revolution. </p>
<p> No one expects that kind of exponential rise in natural resource prices to happen again. Nevertheless, the timing of his new project looks propitious in that commodity prices have fallen back and the biggest mining players, having over-invested in the good times, have surplus assets that they may seek to discard.</p>
<p>Davis looked to have lost out to Glasenberg in the aftermath of the Glencore takeover. However, the speed with which he has been able to put together a new enterprise, with a prestige advisory team that includes Goldman Sachs, indicates that the financial community still retains great faith in the formidable skills of “Mick the Miner”.</p>Alex Brummer on BusinessMick DavisBusiness112472storyhttp://www.thejc.com/files/Mick Davis (John Rifkin).JPG

Mick Davis is back in the game with mining group X2 (Photo: John Rifkin)

95584Mick Davis87079PM salutes slimline Mick DavisAlex Brummer is City Editor of the Daily Mail
Mick Davis, the former chief executive of Xstrata, has lost no time getting back into the corporate swim following the takeover of the mining group by its biggest investor Glencore in May.
Davis and chief financial officer Trevor Reid have assembled $1 billion of finance to make mining acquisitions from the Hong Kong-based trading house Noble Group (a Glencore competitor) and the private equity house Texas Pacific Group (TPG).
The intention is to create a mid-sized diversified mining and metals group to be known as X2 Resources that will use Noble as its marketing arm in much the same way as Swiss-based Glencore was deployed in the past.
Davis’s return to the fray, at a time when valuations of mining assets have fallen sharply, has attracted widespread attention. His main expertise at Xstrata was in coal but demand has been slipping because of the emergence of shale gas.
City analysts suggest his new enterprise may focus on iron ore and zinc assets.
In his previous role at Xstrata Davis ran his empire from a tight headquarters giving autonomy to the company’s far flung offshoots. This is also a model associated with the legendary investor Warren Buffett.
It was largely deployed by Davis before the $44.6 billion merger with Swiss-based commodity and natural resources group Glencore.
The potential risk of too much regional autonomy recently has been recognised by Britain’s biggest bank HSBC when it emerged that its Mexican operations had been abused by drug cartels for money laundering and its Middle East branches suborned by radical groups including al Qaeda.
Under the current HSBC chief executive Stuart Gulliver the bank is centralising the command and control of the business at its two main headquarters in Hong Kong for Asia and London for the rest of the world. Every aspect of the business from risk-control, to compliance and communications is being organised under a single umbrella.
Similar centralisation has taken place at GlencoreXstrata following the merger that saw Ivan Glasenberg (who attended the South African Theodor Herzl School with Davis) taking on the role of chief executive of the combined enterprise.
Glasenberg’s goal has been to show that the deal, which preceded the departure of Davis, was worth doing amid a sharp fall in the share price of the combined group.
At briefings for analysts and journalists Glasenberg lately outlined the actions he had been taking to streamline the business with the goal of saving at least $2 billion a year by the end of 2014 largely by abandoning the regional offices and structures that were part of the Xstrata model and centralising certain functions. But the key employees on the ground would be kept in place.
The combined group has been divided into three main divisions: mining and metals, energy and agriculture. Glasenberg has adopted the Glencore business model which he describes as “responsibility in lieu of bureaucracy and titles”.
In its briefing documents Glenstrata, as it is now known in the City, emphasises the importance of “centralisation of functions” to improve effectiveness. That can be a brutal business. As of September 2013 Glencore reported it had already rationalised corporate and divisional headquarters resulting in a reduction of 45 per cent of its head office staff and 2000 employees.
More than 30 offices have been closed.
The hoped for synergies of $2 billion arise from three areas of change. Marketing of coal, copper and zinc, is being rationalised through savings on transport and contract pricing targeting savings of $450 million.
Cheaper financing will produce a further $ 175 million of economies and cost reductions will add up to $1.38 million.
With his swift return to the corporate scene, Davis seems to be replicating the Xstrata model. Last time around the track Davis smartly hit the super-cycle in commodities when prices went up tenfold on the back of China’s manufacturing and industrial revolution.
No one expects that kind of exponential rise in natural resource prices to happen again. Nevertheless, the timing of his new project looks propitious in that commodity prices have fallen back and the biggest mining players, having over-invested in the good times, have surplus assets that they may seek to discard.
Davis looked to have lost out to Glasenberg in the aftermath of the Glencore takeover. However, the speed with which he has been able to put together a new enterprise, with a prestige advisory team that includes Goldman Sachs, indicates that the financial community still retains great faith in the formidable skills of “Mick the Miner”.
Thu, 17 Oct 2013 11:09:20 +0100Alex Brummer112472 at http://www.thejc.comChief Rabbi — we are proud of you http://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/110836/chief-rabbi-%E2%80%94-we-are-proud-you
<p>In my communal roles, both at the Jewish Leadership Council and UJIA, one of the real perks has been the opportunity to engage with the Chief Rabbi. </p>
<p>I have always found our relationship to be one of sincerity and warmth. </p>
<p>There will be no shortage of tribute and analysis over this period, however the bottom line is that as a Jewish leader, as a rabbinic voice and as a national figure, Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks has inspired our community as well as the broader nation, and been a steadfast defender and spokesman for Israel and Jewish values. </p>
<p>When historians of UK Jewry look back over the his tenure, they will tell a story of the transformation of a Jewish community. </p>
<p>A story of the explosive growth of Jewish day schools — a reversal of the scenario in which most Jewish children received their Jewish education at (often stale and uninspiring) part-time chedarim into a new landscape, whereby most Jewish children are pupils at Jewish schools. </p>
<p>The historians will tell the story of synagogues which boast dynamic communal leaders as rabbis, and seamlessly integrate multiple minyanim and services under one roof. </p>
<p>They will tell the story of a community which has made huge strides on involving women in communal life. </p>
<p>The Chief Rabbi was the first to identify and speak out against what became known as “the new antisemitism” before UK Parliamentarians. </p>
<p>Generations of our student leaders cite his work as seminal in bolstering their ability to combat anti-Israel sentiment on campus. </p>
<p>The Chief Rabbi has consistently raised issues of BBC coverage of Israel, including on occasions when he was invited to address the senior leadership of the corporation. </p>
<p>During his time in office, the Chief Rabbi has led national street parades and rallies of tens of thousands of people through central London to celebrate Israel. He has been bold and courageous in using the Office of the Chief Rabbi to deepen UK-Israel bilateral relationships to the benefits of the community and the country. </p>
<p>It was this Chief Rabbi who, when the world accused Israel of committing a “massacre” in Jenin, proactively took the lead by touring national broadcast media outlets and saying that Israel should not be condemned before the facts became public. He was proven correct. </p>
<p>Over 10 years on, people still quote from his 2002 Trafalgar Square “Israel I am Proud of You” speech — a piece of oratory that gained national coverage and lifted an entire community from the gloomy depths of the second intifada. </p>
<p>It is also important to recognise the graceful and dignified leadership of Lady Sacks. In an understated manner Elaine has not just supported her husband but also delivered leadership in her own right, particularly in the fields of pastoral care and developing the role of women in the community. </p>
<p>The Chief Rabbi is one of the few world-class Jewish leaders that British Jewry has produced. I have no doubt it is the vision, leadership and action — and not just his outstanding eloquence — that will ensure Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks continues to make a meaningful impact upon the Jewish world and wider society for many years to come.</p>UK newsMick DavisRabbi Ephraim MirvisLord Jonathan Sacks110836story

110834A great speaker, yes, but Chief Rabbi Sacks was not a great leader 110810Prince Charles will attend new Chief Rabbi’s installationMick Davis is chairman of the Jewish Leadership Council
In my communal roles, both at the Jewish Leadership Council and UJIA, one of the real perks has been the opportunity to engage with the Chief Rabbi.
I have always found our relationship to be one of sincerity and warmth.
There will be no shortage of tribute and analysis over this period, however the bottom line is that as a Jewish leader, as a rabbinic voice and as a national figure, Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks has inspired our community as well as the broader nation, and been a steadfast defender and spokesman for Israel and Jewish values.
When historians of UK Jewry look back over the his tenure, they will tell a story of the transformation of a Jewish community.
A story of the explosive growth of Jewish day schools — a reversal of the scenario in which most Jewish children received their Jewish education at (often stale and uninspiring) part-time chedarim into a new landscape, whereby most Jewish children are pupils at Jewish schools.
The historians will tell the story of synagogues which boast dynamic communal leaders as rabbis, and seamlessly integrate multiple minyanim and services under one roof.
They will tell the story of a community which has made huge strides on involving women in communal life.
The Chief Rabbi was the first to identify and speak out against what became known as “the new antisemitism” before UK Parliamentarians.
Generations of our student leaders cite his work as seminal in bolstering their ability to combat anti-Israel sentiment on campus.
The Chief Rabbi has consistently raised issues of BBC coverage of Israel, including on occasions when he was invited to address the senior leadership of the corporation.
During his time in office, the Chief Rabbi has led national street parades and rallies of tens of thousands of people through central London to celebrate Israel. He has been bold and courageous in using the Office of the Chief Rabbi to deepen UK-Israel bilateral relationships to the benefits of the community and the country.
It was this Chief Rabbi who, when the world accused Israel of committing a “massacre” in Jenin, proactively took the lead by touring national broadcast media outlets and saying that Israel should not be condemned before the facts became public. He was proven correct.
Over 10 years on, people still quote from his 2002 Trafalgar Square “Israel I am Proud of You” speech — a piece of oratory that gained national coverage and lifted an entire community from the gloomy depths of the second intifada.
It is also important to recognise the graceful and dignified leadership of Lady Sacks. In an understated manner Elaine has not just supported her husband but also delivered leadership in her own right, particularly in the fields of pastoral care and developing the role of women in the community.
The Chief Rabbi is one of the few world-class Jewish leaders that British Jewry has produced. I have no doubt it is the vision, leadership and action — and not just his outstanding eloquence — that will ensure Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks continues to make a meaningful impact upon the Jewish world and wider society for many years to come.
Fri, 30 Aug 2013 15:30:16 +0100Mick Davis110836 at http://www.thejc.comBritish Jews discuss peace efforts with Jordan's King Abdullahhttp://www.thejc.com/news/world-news/68935/british-jews-discuss-peace-efforts-jordans-king-abdullah
<p>Representatives of the British Jewish community met the King of Jordan on Friday to discuss the development of the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians.</p>
<p>The meeting, hosted by JLC chair of trustees Mick Davis, was also attended by senior figures from the Board of Deputies.</p>
<p>King Abdullah spoke of Jordan’s ongoing dedication to encouraging dialogue between the Israelis and the Palestinians, as well as the progress of efforts to promote economic and social development in the Middle East.</p>
<p>"It was an honour and a privilege to have hosted this unique occasion which will now form the basis of an on-going relationship between His Majesty and our community," said Mr Davis. </p>
<p>"We were all hugely impressed with the time and commitment His Majesty continues to devote to furthering peace in the Middle East." </p>World newsMick DavisJordan68935story

Representatives of the British Jewish community met the King of Jordan on Friday to discuss the development of the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians.
The meeting, hosted by JLC chair of trustees Mick Davis, was also attended by senior figures from the Board of Deputies.
King Abdullah spoke of Jordan’s ongoing dedication to encouraging dialogue between the Israelis and the Palestinians, as well as the progress of efforts to promote economic and social development in the Middle East.
"It was an honour and a privilege to have hosted this unique occasion which will now form the basis of an on-going relationship between His Majesty and our community," said Mr Davis.
"We were all hugely impressed with the time and commitment His Majesty continues to devote to furthering peace in the Middle East."
Sat, 16 Jun 2012 23:35:45 +0100Jennifer Lipman68935 at http://www.thejc.comUJIA's Mick Davis to get £29m to stay at Xstratahttp://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/68429/ujias-mick-davis-get-%C2%A329m-stay-xstrata
<p>UJIA’s chairman Mick Davis has been offered £29m, with bonuses of a further £6 million, to stay at the helm of mining company Xstrata, after the company merges.</p>
<p>South African-born Mr Davis, the chief executive of Xstrata and chair of the Jewish Leadership Council, is expected to remain chief executive when the company merges with commodity trader Glencore. </p>
<p>He has led the company for a decade, and is one of the highest paid executives on the FTSE 100, earning around £1.5m a year, with almost £2m in bonuses. </p>
<p>Xstrata is one of the top 20 companies on the FTSE100, with a market value of around £42 billion, employing 50,000 people. It is the world's largest producer of zinc, one of the top four producers of copper and a producer of platinum group metals. </p>
<p>The offer has yet to be formally approved by shareholders</p>UK newsMick DavisUJIA68429story

UJIA’s chairman Mick Davis has been offered £29m, with bonuses of a further £6 million, to stay at the helm of mining company Xstrata, after the company merges.
South African-born Mr Davis, the chief executive of Xstrata and chair of the Jewish Leadership Council, is expected to remain chief executive when the company merges with commodity trader Glencore.
He has led the company for a decade, and is one of the highest paid executives on the FTSE 100, earning around £1.5m a year, with almost £2m in bonuses.
Xstrata is one of the top 20 companies on the FTSE100, with a market value of around £42 billion, employing 50,000 people. It is the world's largest producer of zinc, one of the top four producers of copper and a producer of platinum group metals.
The offer has yet to be formally approved by shareholders
Fri, 01 Jun 2012 14:38:47 +0100Jessica Elgot68429 at http://www.thejc.comJNF leaves JLC over Israel supporthttp://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/45802/jnf-leaves-jlc-over-israel-support
<p>JNF UK has walked out of the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC), following rumours that it was considering such a move.</p>
<p>According to the Jerusalem Post the organisation has parted company with the 30-member council over concern about the JLC’s stance on Israel.</p>
<p>JNF UK chairman Samuel Hayek told the Post that the decision was not taken lightly, but made in view of the fact that the over the past 110 years the JNF’s support for Israel “has always been and will remain steadfast”.</p>
<p>He said: “JNF is a charity whose history is intrinsically intertwined with the establishment and development of Israel and whose support for it.”</p>
<p>Mr Hayek added that when it was first set up, the JLC, comprised of heads of major charities, synagogue bodies and key Jewish figures, focused on communal needs. But he said that the focus had now “shifted significantly” towards foreign affairs and the actions of the Israeli government.</p>
<p>He said: “The JLC has sought to take upon itself a leadership role in areas already covered by others such as the Board of Deputies, an elected and representative institution, where as the JLC comprises a self-appointed and non-mandated body.”</p>
<p>The split follows Mr Hayek’s criticism of the JLC for planning a trip to the West Bank and the controversy over executive chairman Mick Davis’ remarks on Israel last year.</p>UK newsJNFMick Davis45802storyhttp://www.thejc.com/files/samuel-hayek.jpg

Samuel Hayek

JNF UK has walked out of the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC), following rumours that it was considering such a move.
According to the Jerusalem Post the organisation has parted company with the 30-member council over concern about the JLC’s stance on Israel.
JNF UK chairman Samuel Hayek told the Post that the decision was not taken lightly, but made in view of the fact that the over the past 110 years the JNF’s support for Israel “has always been and will remain steadfast”.
He said: “JNF is a charity whose history is intrinsically intertwined with the establishment and development of Israel and whose support for it.”
Mr Hayek added that when it was first set up, the JLC, comprised of heads of major charities, synagogue bodies and key Jewish figures, focused on communal needs. But he said that the focus had now “shifted significantly” towards foreign affairs and the actions of the Israeli government.
He said: “The JLC has sought to take upon itself a leadership role in areas already covered by others such as the Board of Deputies, an elected and representative institution, where as the JLC comprises a self-appointed and non-mandated body.”
The split follows Mr Hayek’s criticism of the JLC for planning a trip to the West Bank and the controversy over executive chairman Mick Davis’ remarks on Israel last year.
Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:03:29 +0000Jennifer Lipman45802 at http://www.thejc.comTzipi Livni: We ALL have a voice on Israelhttp://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/44957/tzipi-livni-we-all-have-a-voice-israel
<p>EXCLUSIVE: Israel's Opposition leader, Tzipi Livni, has made an unprecedented declaration of support for the call by Mick Davis, chairman of both the UJIA and the executive committee of the Jewish Leadership Council, for a role for the diaspora in discussing Israel's future.</p>
<p>Ms Livni, speaking to the JC, said: &quot;As leaders, we in Israel must take into account the concerns of diaspora Jewry. Israel is strong enough to take criticism from within the family of Jews, who say, ok, we disapprove of Israeli policy, but we stand firm for Israel.&quot;</p>
<p>The leader of the Kadima Party said that diaspora leaders had a &quot;duty&quot; to speak out when Israel &quot;does something wrong&quot;.</p>
<p>She was speaking after Mr Davis called at the annual Herzliya conference for a &quot;global Jewish conversation&quot; about Israel, which recognises the crucial role of the diaspora community in the debate about the country's future.</p>
<p>Ms Livni's response is a radical departure from generations of Israeli politicians who have insisted that the diaspora's role is to give money, and that diaspora Jews should only have a say if they emigrate to Israel, pay taxes and serve in the army.</p>
<p>But Mr Davis, speaking on a panel discussing the future of the Jewish people, said: &quot;Ironically, Jews outside Israel are at the vanguard of the battle over Israel's legitimacy. But because we are diaspora Jews, we have no impact on how Israel itself responds to this battle.&quot;</p>
<p>Mr Davis was expanding on a theme that caused controversy when he first raised it last November: that Israel needs to pay more attention to Jews living outside the country and recognise the effect its actions have on the diaspora.</p>
<p>He also defends himself in an article in this week's JC, in which he writes: &quot;I spoke honestly and personally to a group of fellow Jews at the London Jewish Cultural Centre who were thirsty for debate. My words were made into a cause célèbre. Yet Jewish conversations like this are critical.&quot; He argues that diaspora Jews &quot;need to drive an agenda&quot;.</p>
<p>The JLC chairman could not have chosen a more high-profile platform than the Herzliya conference for his call for a global &quot;big conversation&quot; about the campaign to undermine Israel's right to exist.</p>
<p>He condemned the boycott movement and the &quot;red-green alliance&quot; of the hard left and radical Islam. But he said criticism of Israel should not always been seen as an attack on its right to exist. &quot;Not every criticism of Israel is delegitimisation. Not even every untrue or unfair criticism of Israel is delegitimisation.&quot;</p>
<p>Mr Davis urged Israel to reach out to Jews beyond its borders.</p>
<p>&quot;If diaspora Jewish leaders are to deliver effective support for Israel, bringing their entire communities with them in the fight for Israel's legitimacy, their voices need to be heard in Israel. Their perspectives and opinions need to be discussed and considered.</p>
<p>&quot;Israel needs to join the big conversation sweeping through the Jewish world. It is indeed time for a new 'global Jewish conversation'.&quot;</p>
<p>Asked by the JC what he thought should be done about the growing acceptance of delegitimisation in liberal circles in the UK, Mr Davis replied: &quot;The definition of who is a delegitimiser has to be a narrower one.&quot; He said critics of Israel from inside or outside the Jewish community &quot;should not be automatically labelled as self-hating Jews or antisemites&quot;. Liberal Jews and people on the left who were critical of Israel should be brought into the debate. </p>
<p>Others on the panel, which included Sir Ronald Cohen and Nathan Sharansky, proposed a less accommodating view of Israel's critics. Malcolm Hoenlein, of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organisations, agreed that a new approach was needed. However, he said the term &quot;liberal&quot; was too much of a compliment to delegitimisers. &quot;You have to call a spade a spade and show the world the hypocrisy of human rights groups which provide cover for the anti-Israel agenda. When they cross the line, we have every right to expose them.&quot;</p>
<p>But in Ms Livni's comments to the JC, she made it clear where she stood on the matter. Speaking, she said, &quot;first as a Jew, and second an Israeli,&quot; she declared: &quot;We must draw a distinction between understanding and supporting Israel's values and existence, and criticising any Israeli government's policy. As Jews we are family, and families have the right and the duty to be critical when a member of that family does something wrong. </p>
<p>&quot;We must criticise each other. And diaspora leaders have the same duty to speak out.</p>
<p>&quot;As leaders, we in Israel must take into account the concerns of diaspora Jewry. Israel is strong enough to take criticism from Jews who say, ok, we disapprove of Israeli policy but we stand firm for Israel.</p>
<p>&quot;When criticism is made from love and concern we in Israel must be strong enough to take it.&quot;</p>UK newsTzipi LivniMick Davis44957storyWe have to listen to our ‘diaspora family’, says Tzipi Livnihttp://www.thejc.com/files/10022011-F101103KG10.jpg

Livni: backs call by Mick Davis

45033I am a loyal Zionist and that is why I must criticise Israel44926A chance to speak
EXCLUSIVE: Israel's Opposition leader, Tzipi Livni, has made an unprecedented declaration of support for the call by Mick Davis, chairman of both the UJIA and the executive committee of the Jewish Leadership Council, for a role for the diaspora in discussing Israel's future.
Ms Livni, speaking to the JC, said: &quot;As leaders, we in Israel must take into account the concerns of diaspora Jewry. Israel is strong enough to take criticism from within the family of Jews, who say, ok, we disapprove of Israeli policy, but we stand firm for Israel.&quot;
The leader of the Kadima Party said that diaspora leaders had a &quot;duty&quot; to speak out when Israel &quot;does something wrong&quot;.
She was speaking after Mr Davis called at the annual Herzliya conference for a &quot;global Jewish conversation&quot; about Israel, which recognises the crucial role of the diaspora community in the debate about the country's future.
Ms Livni's response is a radical departure from generations of Israeli politicians who have insisted that the diaspora's role is to give money, and that diaspora Jews should only have a say if they emigrate to Israel, pay taxes and serve in the army.
But Mr Davis, speaking on a panel discussing the future of the Jewish people, said: &quot;Ironically, Jews outside Israel are at the vanguard of the battle over Israel's legitimacy. But because we are diaspora Jews, we have no impact on how Israel itself responds to this battle.&quot;
Mr Davis was expanding on a theme that caused controversy when he first raised it last November: that Israel needs to pay more attention to Jews living outside the country and recognise the effect its actions have on the diaspora.
He also defends himself in an article in this week's JC, in which he writes: &quot;I spoke honestly and personally to a group of fellow Jews at the London Jewish Cultural Centre who were thirsty for debate. My words were made into a cause célèbre. Yet Jewish conversations like this are critical.&quot; He argues that diaspora Jews &quot;need to drive an agenda&quot;.
The JLC chairman could not have chosen a more high-profile platform than the Herzliya conference for his call for a global &quot;big conversation&quot; about the campaign to undermine Israel's right to exist.
He condemned the boycott movement and the &quot;red-green alliance&quot; of the hard left and radical Islam. But he said criticism of Israel should not always been seen as an attack on its right to exist. &quot;Not every criticism of Israel is delegitimisation. Not even every untrue or unfair criticism of Israel is delegitimisation.&quot;
Mr Davis urged Israel to reach out to Jews beyond its borders.
&quot;If diaspora Jewish leaders are to deliver effective support for Israel, bringing their entire communities with them in the fight for Israel's legitimacy, their voices need to be heard in Israel. Their perspectives and opinions need to be discussed and considered.
&quot;Israel needs to join the big conversation sweeping through the Jewish world. It is indeed time for a new 'global Jewish conversation'.&quot;
Asked by the JC what he thought should be done about the growing acceptance of delegitimisation in liberal circles in the UK, Mr Davis replied: &quot;The definition of who is a delegitimiser has to be a narrower one.&quot; He said critics of Israel from inside or outside the Jewish community &quot;should not be automatically labelled as self-hating Jews or antisemites&quot;. Liberal Jews and people on the left who were critical of Israel should be brought into the debate.
Others on the panel, which included Sir Ronald Cohen and Nathan Sharansky, proposed a less accommodating view of Israel's critics. Malcolm Hoenlein, of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organisations, agreed that a new approach was needed. However, he said the term &quot;liberal&quot; was too much of a compliment to delegitimisers. &quot;You have to call a spade a spade and show the world the hypocrisy of human rights groups which provide cover for the anti-Israel agenda. When they cross the line, we have every right to expose them.&quot;
But in Ms Livni's comments to the JC, she made it clear where she stood on the matter. Speaking, she said, &quot;first as a Jew, and second an Israeli,&quot; she declared: &quot;We must draw a distinction between understanding and supporting Israel's values and existence, and criticising any Israeli government's policy. As Jews we are family, and families have the right and the duty to be critical when a member of that family does something wrong.
&quot;We must criticise each other. And diaspora leaders have the same duty to speak out.
&quot;As leaders, we in Israel must take into account the concerns of diaspora Jewry. Israel is strong enough to take criticism from Jews who say, ok, we disapprove of Israeli policy but we stand firm for Israel.
&quot;When criticism is made from love and concern we in Israel must be strong enough to take it.&quot;
Fri, 11 Feb 2011 07:00:47 +0000Stephen Pollard44957 at http://www.thejc.comStand up to extremists, especially our ownhttp://www.thejc.com/comment-and-debate/comment/42910/stand-extremists-especially-our-own
<p>First, Jewish Leadership Council chief executive Mick Davis argues that Israel risks becoming an apartheid state. Communal uproar follows. Then along comes the news that 39 Israeli rabbis signed an edict forbidding Jews from renting property to non-Jews. Did anyone else detect a touch of irony here?</p>
<p>Now, an apparently racist ruling by a group of clerics does not an apartheid state make, but it is a clear signal that all is not well when it comes to Israel's relationship with its minorities. It is surely this issue that we should have been discussing following Mr Davis's statements, without allowing his arguably inappropriate choice of adjectives to turn the debate into an emotional confrontation revolving solipsistically around Anglo-Jewish leadership.</p>
<p>So let's keep to the tenor of the debate, and stay calm. For one thing, Israel's attorney general is currently looking into bringing charges of incitement to racial hatred. Not the actions of a state sliding towards apartheid. And it was not racism that prevented Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu - who made a statement condemning the ruling - from applying any sanction against the state-employed rabbis. It was democracy. Mr Netanyahu cannot afford to further endanger his relations with the religious right members of his coalition, who are currently threatening to leave over a law that enables the state to bypass the Chief Rabbinate's authority over conversions in the IDF. Israeli leaders recognise there is a problem here - the president, the education minister and a number of important religious leaders also spoke out against the ruling - but appear to be unable to take any meaningful action to stop it happening again.</p>
<p>Israel's relationship with its large Arab minority is a complicated blend of integration, interdependence and antagonism. Take Safed, the town where this latest round of racist baiting began. Its university, under the supervision of Bar-Ilan, has admitted so many Arabs that they now make up 70 per cent of the student population, a positive sign for intercultural relations. And even though it was the reaction of the town's chief rabbi, Shmuel Eliyahu, to growing Arab demand for accommodation in Safed that inspired the anti-Arab edict, Fadi Abu Younes, the former chairman of the National Arab Students' Union, says the views of Rabbi Eliyahu and his followers are the minority. </p>
<p>But the paradox is there for all to see: in Safed, deep distrust sits alongside co-operation. It wasn't a direct confrontation that caused Rabbi Eliyahu to rule that Jewish flat-owners should not rent lodgings to Arab students. His move was based on both his interpretation of halachah and his fear that the students could bring violence and disrupt the Jewish character of the town.</p>
<p>A survey carried out by Ynet this month revealed that 55 per cent of the general population of Israel backed the edict, while among the religious, the figure was 66 per cent. Based on just this information, we can comfortably predict that wherever a growing Arab population and a growing religious Jewish population compete for the same resources, there is likely to be conflict.</p>
<p>A number of regional councils in Israel seem to have made exactly that prognosis. Their solution is to publish admission guidelines to "preserve their Jewish and Zionist character". In the long term, it is hard to see how this will enable the two groups to live alongside each other in peace.</p>
<p>This year, tension has risen across Israel. There was a second round of race riots in Umm al-Fahm in October, involving a march by extreme-right activists which Avishay Braverman, Israel's Minister for Minority Affairs, called a "destructive and dangerous provocation aimed at inciting against the town's Arab residents". In Lod, a new 3m-high wall was completed, dividing an Arab suburb from a Jewish village in a neighbouring municipality. Also in October, in Beit Fajar, a mosque was torched by religious settlers as part of a "tit for tat" policy to exact revenge on the government for evacuations.</p>
<p>Mohammad Darawshe of the Abraham Fund Initiatives, says, "This year has been one of the worst for Arab-Jewish relations in a decade that is the worst in 40 years".</p>
<p>Israel, as its declaration of independence states, is founded on the principle of "complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants, irrespective of religion, race or sex". We must battle to uphold this value because the kind of inequality we are seeing today can rip Israel apart from the inside without any of its external enemies making a move. </p>
<p>This means speaking out against the extreme elements in our world, just as we expect other societies to clamp down on hate directed against us. This may be a tough benchmark to apply to a still-young state that is surrounded by hostile groups who define themselves in relation to their hatred of it. The very fact that we hold such a standard to the one we love is no less than a demonstration of our attachment - that is the way it is in Jewish families.</p>CommentMick Davis42910story

First, Jewish Leadership Council chief executive Mick Davis argues that Israel risks becoming an apartheid state. Communal uproar follows. Then along comes the news that 39 Israeli rabbis signed an edict forbidding Jews from renting property to non-Jews. Did anyone else detect a touch of irony here?
Now, an apparently racist ruling by a group of clerics does not an apartheid state make, but it is a clear signal that all is not well when it comes to Israel's relationship with its minorities. It is surely this issue that we should have been discussing following Mr Davis's statements, without allowing his arguably inappropriate choice of adjectives to turn the debate into an emotional confrontation revolving solipsistically around Anglo-Jewish leadership.
So let's keep to the tenor of the debate, and stay calm. For one thing, Israel's attorney general is currently looking into bringing charges of incitement to racial hatred. Not the actions of a state sliding towards apartheid. And it was not racism that prevented Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu - who made a statement condemning the ruling - from applying any sanction against the state-employed rabbis. It was democracy. Mr Netanyahu cannot afford to further endanger his relations with the religious right members of his coalition, who are currently threatening to leave over a law that enables the state to bypass the Chief Rabbinate's authority over conversions in the IDF. Israeli leaders recognise there is a problem here - the president, the education minister and a number of important religious leaders also spoke out against the ruling - but appear to be unable to take any meaningful action to stop it happening again.
Israel's relationship with its large Arab minority is a complicated blend of integration, interdependence and antagonism. Take Safed, the town where this latest round of racist baiting began. Its university, under the supervision of Bar-Ilan, has admitted so many Arabs that they now make up 70 per cent of the student population, a positive sign for intercultural relations. And even though it was the reaction of the town's chief rabbi, Shmuel Eliyahu, to growing Arab demand for accommodation in Safed that inspired the anti-Arab edict, Fadi Abu Younes, the former chairman of the National Arab Students' Union, says the views of Rabbi Eliyahu and his followers are the minority.
But the paradox is there for all to see: in Safed, deep distrust sits alongside co-operation. It wasn't a direct confrontation that caused Rabbi Eliyahu to rule that Jewish flat-owners should not rent lodgings to Arab students. His move was based on both his interpretation of halachah and his fear that the students could bring violence and disrupt the Jewish character of the town.
A survey carried out by Ynet this month revealed that 55 per cent of the general population of Israel backed the edict, while among the religious, the figure was 66 per cent. Based on just this information, we can comfortably predict that wherever a growing Arab population and a growing religious Jewish population compete for the same resources, there is likely to be conflict.
A number of regional councils in Israel seem to have made exactly that prognosis. Their solution is to publish admission guidelines to "preserve their Jewish and Zionist character". In the long term, it is hard to see how this will enable the two groups to live alongside each other in peace.
This year, tension has risen across Israel. There was a second round of race riots in Umm al-Fahm in October, involving a march by extreme-right activists which Avishay Braverman, Israel's Minister for Minority Affairs, called a "destructive and dangerous provocation aimed at inciting against the town's Arab residents". In Lod, a new 3m-high wall was completed, dividing an Arab suburb from a Jewish village in a neighbouring municipality. Also in October, in Beit Fajar, a mosque was torched by religious settlers as part of a "tit for tat" policy to exact revenge on the government for evacuations.
Mohammad Darawshe of the Abraham Fund Initiatives, says, "This year has been one of the worst for Arab-Jewish relations in a decade that is the worst in 40 years".
Israel, as its declaration of independence states, is founded on the principle of "complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants, irrespective of religion, race or sex". We must battle to uphold this value because the kind of inequality we are seeing today can rip Israel apart from the inside without any of its external enemies making a move.
This means speaking out against the extreme elements in our world, just as we expect other societies to clamp down on hate directed against us. This may be a tough benchmark to apply to a still-young state that is surrounded by hostile groups who define themselves in relation to their hatred of it. The very fact that we hold such a standard to the one we love is no less than a demonstration of our attachment - that is the way it is in Jewish families.
Thu, 23 Dec 2010 14:41:07 +0000Orlando Radice42910 at http://www.thejc.com